Safety headgear



Sept. 4, 1945. F. R. LUDWELL SAFETY HEADGEAR Original Filed May 19, 1941u E M U L n R mmlm N O w ww NM A w Patented Sept. 4, 1945 Iii-1 orFrederick R. Ludwell, San just, cant, mignom r r E,I). Bulla td CmurwmSan- Francisco, Calm,

- a. corporation oi; California.

Original application May 19, 1941; Serial No.

= 394;-2 33.'- Dividedand this application October -18,'194 3, SerialNo'.'506,702*

-My invention relates to improved safety-head gear of the type used byindustrial workmenand others exposed to the risk of injuryby fallingobjects, and to'suspension means for fitting and supporting suchheadgear upon the wearer's head.

It is among the objects of my invention to provide a safetyhat havingimproved suspension means for adapting the hat to the head of a wear er;including suspension straps and supporting members-of improvedconstruction' The invention possesses other objects and-featuresofadvantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will beset forth in' thefollowingdescription of my invention. It is to be understood that I donot limit myself to this disclosure of species ofmy invention, as I mayadopt variant embodiments thereof within the scope of the claims.

Figure 1 is a sideelevation, partly in vertical section, of a protectivehat made in accordance with my invention. 1 Figure 2 is 'afra'gm'entalsectional"'detailillustrating a preferred 'form of the suspensionmounting.

-Figure 3 is-a'fragmental viewshowing mnevation the mounting section ofa suspension strap in engagement with a supporting member. Figure 4 isa. perspective view illustratingjon method by which the'suspensionstraps "of-'my invention are formed.

Figure is'a perspective view of thesuspension strap in itscompleted-form i i In terms of broad inclusion my invention coin prisessafety headgear provided with rm proved form of'suspension whereinhead'straps formed of flexible strip material are treatedpref erablywith thermo-setting or thermo-plastic ma-' terial, for formingrelatively hard rigid en'd' sec tions integral with the strap forengagin'gsuitable supporting elements carried by the=*-headgear, andarranged to facilitate the'assembling;

adjustingand replacing of the suspension members. Preferably, a metalbead is applied for re-' inforcing theLedge of the brim; r

.The present application is a division of my application Serial No.394,233, filed May '19, 1941.

In terms of greater detail, the safety headgear of my. inventioncomprises a body I4, preferably formed of a myriad of fibers mattedtogether in unoriented relation and consolidated and embedded informable plastic which is converted to a desne hard condition by a.suitable molding operation under heat and pressure. Since the structureof such headgear, and the method of producing the same, is fullydisclosed in my said application Serial'No. 394,233, of which this'application i a division, a detailed 1 description thereof is omittedherefrom. After the molding operation, the headgea'r 'is fitted withsuitable suspension 'rnembers for adapting the formed body to the headof; the wearer. For this purpose I prefer a suspension comprising aplurality of suspension he'a'd straps 26 each comprising a strip offlexible fabric, such as tape or canvas, doubled to form a loop 21. Thends of thestrip are treated' 'to'render the'm sufi ficiently tough;hard and rigid to permit them to serve for attaching the straps to theheadgear. In the drawing I have illustrated one practical constructionwherein the ends 28 of the strip are interlaid between pieces of fabric29 impregnated with thermo-setting plastic materiaLsuch as aphenol-formaldehyde condensation product.- By suitable application ofpressure and heat,the plastic is caused to penetrate the ends 28 and tobond the same together in a relativelyhardrigid section-.30 integrallyunited with the loop. The

ends of .thestrip may be separately impregnated and reinforced withplastic, orother stiffening and reinforcing material if desired. The?straps .26are secured within the ore portion of the headgear by means ofsupporting members 33 riveted or otherwise secured to' the lower portionof the crown; as best shown' in Figures -2 3 of .the. drawing." Eachmember is provided with a main. cylindrical body portion which servesasabearing, andwith retaining flanges 34 extending laterally from thebody in spaced relation to the adjacent surfacept the crown. w':m-

The sections 30 of the suspension strapshave apertures formed therein toengage the supporting members. 33. The apertures 3l-arevarranged toprovidebearing engagement with the cylindrical body portions of thesupporting members 33. Lateral extensions 32 of the apertures arearranged to permit the sections 301:0 be

ard hat body can be fitted to the head 0f any body, a plurality ofsupporting elements secured within the lower crown portion of theheadgear and provided with retaining flanges spaced from the innersurface of the crown, a like plurality of suspension straps havingflexible loop portions adjustably connected within the top of the crownand also provided with relatively nigidmounting portions apertured forengagement with 'the supporting elements, each aperture being shaped topermit movement over the retaining flanges when turned to an applyingposition and to prevent 1 disengagement with the supporting elementswhen 'turnedto a normal retaining position, a.

wearer. The head band is madesuiliciently flex} ible to conform tovarious shapes of head; and

the pivot mounting of the strap sections 30 upon the members 33 permitthe sections 130 .120 turn sufliciently to accommodate any normaldistortion of the head band to conform to various head shapes.

The drawing illustrates .a form of headgear having a fbrim M. Preferablythe edge of the brim is reinforced by a metal head -42 extendingentirely around the brim. The head may be applied in anyconvenientmanner, as for example by rolling the bead onto the brim afterthe molding operation. The'edge of the brim may be molded flat; or ifdesired the edge may :be moldedwith an integral bead 43 over which themetal bead 42 maybe rolledias shown in Fflgure 1 The metal'bcadfl servesto prevent the edgeg-of the brim from :being chipped or cracked theha-tis dropped. r

.I claim:

a 1. vA safety that comprising a body of molded plastic materialcontaining a myriad of uncrinted .fi'bers extending indiscriminately inall directions throughout, the entire body, suspension supports upon theinside of :the bod a plurality of suspension straps, each provided with=.a mounting portion having formable plastic mate- 'head band and meansconnecting the head band ---to the mounting portions of the suspensionBLA -saiety hatjcomprisin-g a-body of molded plastic material havingreinforcing strands emrial consolidated therewith, and means upon themounting portions for attaching the .same to the suspension :snpporrts;v

2. A safety hat comprising a. rigid body 'pro-. vided with:suspensionusupports, :a plurality of suspension members each comprisinga strip of woven fabric doubledito form a loop, fonmable plasticmaterial consolidatedwith the portions of eachlstrip for iformin'g arelatively rigid mounting section, and means fomned-cin said mountingsections for detachably engaging the suspension supports carried :by theisafeizy. headgear comprising. :a rigid hat body, a plurality of loopsof flexible strip material each having rend IHOHliOIlS of. the :stripiniterlaid rand. consolidated with 'formabl'e irilastin ;material vforforming "a relatively rigid end section said end sections .ii'aving:support' engaging ape)- tures formed therein, supporting elements thelower portion of the interiorlof ithe headgear for engagement said meansfad-I justably onnecting :"the loops within the flapper portion of the.headgean a headihandzand meams connecting ithe Ihead band 1701311?rigid send sections .of the loops :atrpdirrts the :snpportmg elemeni 1-.4. gsafety :hea'dgear, -comprising :a ri i 11811;

bedded therein, a brim integral with the body, suspension means mountedwithin the body, and a metal bead applied to the .outeredge .of thebrim.

, '6. A-safety hat comprising a rigid body, a plu rality of flexiblesuspension straps, means adjustably connecting the upper ends .of thestraps within the top of the hat, means upon the lower endsof the strapsfor reinforcing and stifiening the same to provide relatively rigidmounting portions, means for attaching said-mounting portions to thelower portion of thehat, anda sweat band connected to said mountingportions. g 7. .A safety ,hat comprising a rigid body, a :plurali-ty of.flexible suspension straps adiustably connected at their upper endswithinthe hat,

. means upon-thelower endsof the straps for rein:

forcingand stiffening the same to provide :rela-. tively rigid strapmounting portions, means en: gaging said mounting portions for-securinthe straps to the hat, a sweat band, and means for detachably .secur-ingthe. sweat band to the mounting portion of the straps. I 8 safety .hatcomprisinga rigid body, amurality. .of flexible wsuspension straps,means-adjustably connecting the upper ends of the straps within the topof the hat, means applied to the lower endportions of the straps torender them relatively rigid, strap engaging.meansupon the lower portion:of the hat detachably engaging the rigid portions of the strapaand a.sweatbatnd detachably secured to the straps,

9 Asuspension strapforsa'f-ety headgear. .comp n a strip offlexibleimaterial navingns ends I embedded formabl-e plasticconsolidated therewith for providing a ;-relatively-.;s.tifi mountingportion, saidmounting portion having an op in en a n fastening: means.zfor

